


The Ring.

by invisible_nerd_girl



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Dark, Derek kills wolves, Fox Stiles, M/M, Mates, little bloody
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-25 04:26:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14969078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_nerd_girl/pseuds/invisible_nerd_girl
Summary: Derek gets captured by hunters who place him in a fighting ring. There he finds a fox.





	1. Chapter 1

Derek was stuck in his wolf form, a collar around his neck stopped him from turning back. The wolfbane that knocked him out was still fogging his head, but he shook it off and stood. His paws swayed under him as the caged door in front of him swung open. He bared his teeth at the scent of blood reached his nose, along with other wolves. A sharp, electric zap came from behind him and he lurched forward as a prod bit into his back. Skidding into a ring, he had a second to take in the scene. 

A fox was racing away from three rabid werewolves, it’s tail fluffed out and eyes wild as it dodged around them. If they were a pack, if they still had their minds with them, it would be all over for the fox, but they were nuts. The fox was running circles around them, using his speed against them, attacking weak spots and steering clear of their jaws. They were in a circle of dirt, surrounded by concrete and cage doors, with silver over hanging the entire thing and seats encircling it. Derek staggered to the side as the fox darted between his paws, making the crowd boo. The foxes scent made a memory flicker in his head, but his paws were already moving, chasing. 

A large redish wolf slammed the fox with its paw and tossing it across the clearing and causing his heart to skip a beat. The fox took a second to get back on its paws but the others were closing in. Derek ducked his head and tripped the nearest one before throwing himself over the fox. It made a panicked noise and curled into a tight ball. The area fell nearly silent, the only sound the pounding hearts of the wolves and the spectators. No one moved. The red wolf put a paw forward and he roared at her the best her could, his teeth snapping to show he truly meant his threat. 

“I don’t get it.” A spectator hissed to her companion who was leaning toward her.

“Wolves and foxes hate each other, so why is the largest keeping the fox safe?” He looked more intrigued than angry. 

“Get on with it!” the women stood up and screamed. The red wolf took another step forward and he narrowed its eyes at him. Behind him, he heard the sound of a gate sliding open and he spun, snatching the fox in his jaws before launching himself into the cage. The gate slammed shut behind them in a very small room and the crazed wolves tried to attack them through the bars. 

“Get off” The fox kicked his chin, effectively making him drop him. A second later a collar shot from the wall and wrapping itself around the fox’s neck, dragging him backward against the wall. His own collar had a chain attach to it, but it hung there though the end was stuck under the cage door, effectively trapping him. He could still reach the fox if the creature got closer. It stood with its back arched in a painful looking manner and it’s ears flat on his head. 

“Let’s see what happens if we leave them together. That damn fox is nearly finished.” A familiar voice snapped, and Derek shifted closer to the fox without thinking. Kate Argent walked past, not taking notice of him. For a heartbeat he wondered why she didn’t shoot him on the spot right there but then he realized that she never seen him in his wolf form. She might not know it was him. 

The relief of the realization made his legs buckle out from under him and he dropped. Closing his eyes, he fought against the spinning in his head and sighed. He needed to rest if he was going to escape, to learn more about what was going on. He blinked open his eyes, noting that the fox had drifted closer. It cocked it head to the side, looking like it was listening so Derek focused. The humans were almost gone. The seating area was already deserted, and the makeshift parking lot had people pulling away. There wasn’t a human heartbeat in the caged area. 

“What is you deal?” the fox was suddenly a younger man, still with fox ears and a tail. His claws dug into the dirt floor when Derek jumped up, shifting to his beta form as well. He rolled his head to one side and stared at the fox with an eyebrow arched up. “I mean thanks for saving my life and all, but you really just don’t get it. They will kill me or sell me if I don’t keep fighting every night.”

“Looks to me like you aren’t fighting tomorrow night” Derek snapped, instantly regretting protecting the fox. He was noisy. The fox bared its teeth at him but fell silent. It rocked back on its heels and wrapped an arm around its side that the red wolf slashed. Blood dripped onto the floor, causing Derek to sit back up. 

“What?” The fox glared at him but a second later collapsed onto his side with glazed eyes. 

“Whoa there” Derek reached out, slowly inching forward as the fox glared at him. His breathing was too fast and his heart was racing in his chest but Derek forced his eyes to remain normal. Wolves and foxes don’t mingle. His wolf was confused between protecting and wanting to rip the creature apart. He was opting to not kill it just yet. He managed to place a hand on the fox’s arm and quickly drew some of his pain away. He could tell that he didn’t trust him, but he couldn’t move to get out of his reach. 

“Damn, that… was….” The fox went completely limp and Derek thought he was seconds away from letting his tongue loll out of his mouth from the goofy grin that replace the angry grimace. “First time I’ve been pain free in months.” He breathed, closing his eyes. 

“Crap” Derek quickly gathered the limp fox against his side and started examining the wound. Taking a deep breath, he realized that it was actually a few days old and made by an Alpha. He knew that there wasn’t an Alpha in the area now, but it looked like the blow the fox took had reopened the claw marks. “Why aren’t you healing?”

“Foxes don’t heal like wolves.” The fox snuggled against his side, not opening his eyes. “We still heal faster than humans, but wounds that are made by Alpha’s take longer. Now shhhh…” a finger was pressed against his lips and he just managed to resist biting it off. Derek let out a groan and dragged the fox to the wall. He settled him down, tucking him into the corner before stretching out himself with his back to the fox as he faced the gate. After what felt like hours he fell into a strained sleep.   
=======================================================================================  
Derek woke to paws scrambling at his back. He sat up just in time to see the fox dart to the far corner and curl into a ball. He shrugged it off and yawned, smacking his lips together when he realized how dry his mouth had become in the middle of the night. 

“You snore like a fucking bear.” The fox complained and he sighed. He didn’t think he would be here so long. He thought his Alpha would’ve come for him by now. His mother would never abandon him on purpose. He turned and watched as people started arriving in the area, parking their cars and pulling crates out. 

“What is this place?” He asked low, but the fox suddenly threw a pebble at him. He glanced over to see him waving frantically.

“Shift back!” he hissed before shifting to full fox. Derek narrowed his eyes but shifted back to his wolf. The collar rubbed painfully at his throat and his fur felt heavy. He slunk to the back of the cage when the humans got closer, trying to block them from seeing the fox. 

“Mmm, not them today.” Kate leaned down to see them before walking on. The fox made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and Derek huffed at it. Sitting down, he let his senses come to him and followed the hunter as she walked along, choosing wolves from the cages until she had eight. He bit back a growl as the chosen wolves were fed, the others including him, and the fox were left with pebbles. 

He lost his patience when the sun started to set. He was amazed that he was able to keep it for so long but every time he went to question the fox, the creature would stare at him with his large doe eyes and he lost his nerve to put him through anything more. So much for the bad boy teen image Laura always said he had. He turned to the fox, who frantically shook his head and retreated from Derek’s side where he had slowly made his way to throughout the day. 

“Welcome everyone. I won’t bother with announcements. You all know the drill, however, our resident fox has taken up a friend so he will be waiting to show you his skills at a later date.” Kates voice boomed out, sickly sweet and cheers rose. “Now the show.” 

Derek wished he could change back to his human form, so he could cover his ears. Wolves burst from their cages, the reek of wolfsbane causing them to go insane as they tore at each other. The crowd cheered like the night before, but Derek shrank away from his cage door as a pair slammed against it, jaws snapping to fast and to fierce until one fell to the ground. He pressed back against the wall, the horror blanking out his mind as he realized what was happening. Beyond the sound of death, he could hear the spectators placing bets and Kate accepting money. He was sure one wolf was already sold to someone as a killing machine that would dispose of the bodies of the victims. 

“Shhhhh” The fox was suddenly at his side, still an animal but comforting. It reared up and tugged at his ear until he curled up on the ground next to him before draping himself over his ears, blocking some of the noise. Derek couldn’t help it. He laughed a crazed, terrified laugh and the fox slipped off. He flattened his ears at the glare he received from the creature. It had landed on his paws on his back, his body curved so his tail tip was over his nose. Derek ducked his head and buried it in the fluff of the fox. Its paws wrapped around his face, covering his ears again as he whined into its stomach. 

It felt like hours. Longer than the time he had spent waiting before the fighting was put to a stop. The people left just as fast as they had the first time and the wolves were put away. The fox gave him a lick on the forehead before unwinding himself and pulling away. Derek gave a quick sniff to check the wound, but it was no worse than before. He wasn’t happy that it was healing slow either. 

“I’m sorry you got caught.” The fox shifted to his beta form and leaned against the back wall. “I’ve been here for a few months, so I’m used to it, unfortunately.”

“What is this place?” Derek hated that his voice shook a little, but the fox just shrugged. 

“I heard someone call it the Ring. Basically, it’s like Pitt fights but with werewolves and they try to kill me. I’m the bait but they pull them back before they kill me because I can’t make them money dead. Werefoxes are supposed to be rare.”

“Do you know how to…?” He tugged at the chain attached to his collar, but the fox shook his head.

“The hunter has a witch on call. She enchanted the chains to hold us, catch us if we don’t come back after fighting. Each one catches the same wolf each time.” The fox gestured to his own chains. “You don’t move around much or resist, and they won’t choke you. I really don’t know why I’m telling you all this.”

“Because I need to know if I’m going to get us out.” He didn’t expect the fox to start laughing at him, cruel and heartless. 

“Get us out? You can’t! You try howling for your pack to find you, that collar will tighten until you can’t breathe. You keep doing it, you will die. You will be made to fight. You will be poisoned and driven mad and they will laugh and place their bets.” The fox held his wound, a trickle of blood seeping out from his rough movements. His eyes dull of life and alight in desperation. Derek bared his teeth as he continued. “Do you know what happens to the survivors? They are sold! Those who are beaten are killed on the spot. There is no escape. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been here for four months. My people never came for me.”

“Just because your foxes never found you doesn’t mean that my pack will never find me!” Derek practically roared at him. The fox kicked at the ground, curling in the far corner again to get far away from Derek as possible. “Foxes are like that.”

“They were human. My family was human. I was human five months ago. Now I’m a monster and I’m being treated as such.” The fox screamed at him before shifting back, burying his head under his tail after turning his back on him. 

“Oh.” Derek stared at him in shock. To be human, and then a were creature, albeit a fox one was different from wolf, and then be treated like an animal. Being something like this is supposed to be wanted, to be a gift to the person. It’s not meant to rip apart the mind of the bitten. He turned and gazed at the half moon, thinking back on what his parents told him. Shaking away his thoughts about the Argents, he shifted back and moved as close to the fox as he could get. The chain made it so if he reached out with a paw, he could just brush the creatures fur. 

“I’m sorry.” Derek waited to see if the fox would respond but it only curled up tighter. He took a deep breath, realizing that if he pressed the fox, he would be just as stubborn as Derek was impatient. He turned his back on the fox and wiggled backward until his tail was just brushing against the fox as he laid down. He could practically feel the silent, raw emotions rolling off the fox from his actions and he knew he was being a bit of an ass. He couldn’t always help it.   
==================================================  
“Three days. Those sick fuckers.” The fox was stretched out on his back in the far corner, still avoiding Derek at all costs. The last two mornings he was woken up by the fox running back to his side of the cage. They somehow always end up curled around one another in the middle of the night. 

“Do you know what they’re planning?” Derek shook his head as his voice slurred. Wolves were strong, but the fox was right. Going three days without food or water was taking its toll on him. The fox seemed weak as well, sometimes barely lifting his head to complain about things. 

“There are two options I think they have in mind. One being….” The fox trailed off and rolled onto his side with a whimper. A second later he was sitting up, a little wobblily but his eyes bright as they locked on him. “One, weaken us both so the fight will be more interesting. Or two….” He licked at his lips, looking at him from under his lashes with a worried expression. 

“Two?” Derek prompted.

“Give the big guy a taste for fox blood. You showed them that you weren’t going to kill me, but you just might try if you’re hungry enough.” The fox shuffled around like he was unsure of how Derek was going to take it. He could see the line of thought. The other day he heard a fight break out between two wolves in another cage. He knew the red wolf had killed and eaten her cage mate from the shocked screamed of the hunters when they returned. One wanted to kill her right away, but Kate said she had something special planned for her. Derek guessed the plan. 

“I have an Idea, but you’re going to have to trust me.” He turned and looked at the fox, who promptly flipped him the bird. Before either of them could say anything else, the gate opened, and a sizable chunk of meat was tossed in. It was part of a deer, and it was laced with something that he couldn’t quiet grasp. 

“I don’t think we should eat that” The fox winkled his lip at the meat and turned his head away even as his stomach growled. Derek bashed his head against the wall a few times to get control of his wolf before slinking over to the meat. He dragged it to one side of the cage so they would be less tempted. 

“This is good. Now all we have to do is survive the fight.” He muttered to the fox, being careful of being overheard by the people arriving for the fight. 

“How do you know were chosen?” The fox lifted his head from where it was hanging between his front legs. 

“Because they fed us” He grabbed the fox by his scruff and dragged his limp form a little closer to the cage door. “I’ll watch your back.”

“I’m so tired, Sourwolf” the fox sank against his side with a groan and Derek wasn’t sure they would make it anymore. He was growing attached to the fox and being called Sourwolf. 

“Just stay focused.” He breathed in the fox’s ear as their collars fell off and the gate slid open. Derek crept out, one paw step at a time as he took in the ring. It was empty. The fox slipped under his belly and cringed away from the howling of the crowd. He glanced up and locked eyes with Kate, who was standing on the very edge of the ring with a grin on her face. 

“You all know the deal. You’ve seen what this little fox turns into….” She waved her hand and the fox sunk further against his stomach. “The highest bidder gets to take this little treat home, and you all get the added bonus of seeing his mate, this massive wolf get ripped to shreds, effectively breaking his spirit so you can do whatever you like with him.” She flashed a wink into the crowd and a horror filled him as the fox gave a tiny fearful sob under him. 

“What happens if that wolf doesn’t fall?” a man asked calmly over the sounds of hoots and Kate spun toward him with a snarl on her face. 

“Then you all come next time when we have something that will beat him.” she spoke sweetly despite the curl in her lip. Derek shook himself, rolling his shoulders before lowering his head. He watched as three gates were raised. The red wolf trotted out and the other two quickly falling behind her as they paced forward. Derek’s earlier impression making them weary, but the red wolf charged. Derek roared and meet her head on, using what he learned from play wrestling with his family but this time he didn’t hold back. 

“He’s a fighter Kate. I don’t think these bittens can go against a born when he’s protecting….” Derek heard a man start talking but he was busy. He dug his teeth into the second wolf’s shoulder and threw him before kicking the third away. The fox raced forward and knocked the paws out from under the red wolf. She fell with her teeth snapping over his tail. The resounding scream snapping something in Derek and he lunged forward as she tried to use her paws to pin the fox down without getting her eyes clawed out by the creature. She was too focused on the fox to notice him, and she didn’t have a chance to regret it.

He bit down on her neck until he heard the crack of her spine, and then shook. The fox fled away from them as he let her body drop from his jaws, but Derek wasn’t done. He chased after the creature as the two wolves descended on him, eager to prove who was next in charge now that the red wolf was dead. He slashed at one with his claws before snapping at the other. The slowed their progress toward the fox, turning their attention to him. He roared again and charged, slamming into the largest while the fox suddenly jumped the smallest. It started screaming almost instantly.

He quickly killed the wolf. Uneasy on how easy it was for him to protect the fox and turned to see the creature get thrown back by the now blinded wolf. Derek walked over to with and snarled low, causing it to drop into a crouch and roll over in submission. He leaned down and snapped at its muzzle but left it as it was in favor of returning to his fox. It met him hesitantly, lifting its head to nuzzle against the side of his bloody jaws. 

A gun shot caused him to flinch as the bullet ricocheted off the ground and pelted him with tiny pellets. He snarled up at the hunter who was holding the gun. 

“Get back in you cage” She screamed, aiming the gun at the fox as she spoke. Derek narrowed his eyes at her, placing himself between her and the fox. The creature whined at him, tugging at his scruff and legs to get him to move back to their cage. Kate cocked the weapon and he did as he was told. The second he was in the cage, he snatched the fox up and shifted all the way to human. He pressed his teeth against the fox’s throat and he was suddenly holding a very human looking teen. 

“What are you…?” The fox started but Derek lapped quickly at his skin, causing him to squeak and try to free himself. Derek ignored his protests and grinned against the flesh when he heard the click of the collars. Spinning on the spot, he dragged the teenager down as the collars shot from the walls to reclaim them, but his plan worked. Their scents were muddled together, and the collars tangled in the air above them before falling to the floor. 

“See?” Derek reached around and patted the teen on the cheek before standing. 

“Damn” The teen stood, swaying slightly as he stared at the mess of chains on the floor. “But we’re still in the cage.”

“I got this” He flashed smirk at him, taking a moment to notice the blush on his face before he grabbed the bars in his hands. He shifted his grip and braced his feet before he ripped the bars from their housing. 

“Fuck” The teen wheezed, and Derek turned, grabbing around the waist to pull him into the ring. Not all the humans had left, and the noise had brought them running. 

“Your turn” He nodded to the roof and the teen beamed at him. 

“You didn’t tell me you had such a ballsy plan” He snorted, reaching up and clawing a hole large enough for them both to get through. Derek shoved the fox up and out before he followed, his skin rolling at the presence of the wolfsbane, but he kept moving. 

“Now we run.” He cringed as he heard the sound of weapons being checked. They had seconds.

“I take what I said back. This is a terrible plan” The fox snapped as he bolted. Derek chased after him, fighting to keep his wolf from screaming about food and killing to survive and more on escaping the hunters behind them. The fox was beautifully fast, jumping over streams and fallen trees all the while criticizing the plan of running naked through the forest. 

“Sorry that I forgot that you’re a bitten” Derek finally yelled back, skidding to a stop when he realized that they weren’t being chased anymore. He took a deep breath and cocked his head to the side in confusion when he smelled the hunters retreating back to the ring. 

“What are you doing? We have to keep going!” The fox staggered back to him and grabbed his arm to tug him back. Derek remained still as a rock, listening as he was unsure of what he heard. Taking a gasping breath, he threw his head back and howled as loud and long as he could. Barely a second later his pack answered. His mother and father near the ring with his uncle, his sisters closing in faster. “What the hell is that?” The fox practically screamed in his ear and he spun. 

“My pack came for me, but…” He frowned, stepping forward and quickly rubbing his chin along the fox’s face and neck, scent marking him as pack and not food. He grabbed the fox’s hand and started running to meet his sisters. They howled again, and he called back until they honed in on him and the fox. They shifted as they arrived. Laura throwing her arms around his shoulders and Cora caught him around the middle. After a few seconds they let him go in favor of examining the fox. 

“Who is this?” Cora tugged at the fox’s arms until he leaned down and let her sniff at him. “He smells like maple candy” 

“I guess we’re bringing him home?” Laura shot a look at him and he nodded. “What’s his name?”

“Stiles.” Derek found himself saying and the fox froze. 

“I didn’t tell you that. Nor did you tell me that your name is Derek.” Stiles pouted for a second before shrugging. “This is weird, but I’m a fox so it’s to be expected.” Derek smiled at him, a small and shy one as his sisters huffed, leading them both back home.  
==========================================================================  
“So you’re mates?” Stiles father asked for what felt like the hundredth time. Derek shot a pleading glance at the fox, who was busy stuffing his face with curly fries. He felt his eyebrows rise and groaned in distain at his antics when one was tossed his way. “Good luck kid.”

“Hey!”


	2. Scars and Pie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles is home, trying to heal but it's hard with wolves running around.

Stiles didn’t know what to think about being a fox. He didn’t have a lot of time to explore it before he got captured. After he was taken, he relied completely on instincts to keep him alive and quickly learned where the soft spots were on a wolf, how to jump and scratch until he could fight through the pain. He listened to the hunters talk about what foxes were fast on their feet and quick thinkers, using what he heard to survive.

He was the reason why they upped the dosage of drugs for the wolves, making them wilder with the intention to give him a better chance of survival. When they realized it made the wolves all the more vicious they wanted to fall back, but Kate said he survived, so they continued. He couldn’t help the deep feeling of satisfaction over her painful death, alone with the other hunters. The Hale pack had ripped them apart and took the drugged and injured wolves in to recover. 

They were apprehensive about talking to his father, who was still human and didn’t even know that Stiles had become a fox. Once they met him, and explained what happened, he helped feed an edited story to the community. Now he was helping go through their files to find the wolves that had been sold off. Stiles had asked Talia, the Alpha, if they could be saved but she had just shrugged before shooing him off. He and Derek weren’t allowed to help. They were told to rest and recover.

“Stop thinking about it.” Derek spoke from Stiles bed, stretched out on his stomach as he dozed, and Stiles huffed, flicking his tail at him. He didn’t have control over his fox anymore. He was stuck in his half form, or Beta form, as the wolves call it. He didn’t really care, but it made going into public difficult. He could shift back to human fine, but then something made him jump, or he would catch the scent of one of the wolves that were still hanging around town as they healed. It took him a week to stop shifting fully at every little thing. 

“I’m just thinking that I was lucky that I got captured when school was out.” Stiles shook himself out of it and turned to the wolf, his mate. It was strange to think back on the instant trust between them when he was first thrown into the ring, or how the fought together even though they were starving and weak. Derek’s eyes flicked over the edge of the book and a second later he was standing right in front of him, a hand cupping his face. 

“Just thinking about school huh?” Derek pulled back to show his fingers were wet with tears and he swatted at it, turning to wipe them away in shock. He sighed roughly when Derek wrapped his arms around him from behind and he leaned back, closing his eyes, vaguely curious when the images of rabid wolves didn’t flicker under his lids. Being close to his mate made it easier. It almost felt like the first time he took the pain away, easing Stiles to sleep. 

“Sorry, I’m usually stronger than this.” He sniffed, rolling his shoulders against him and letting his scent surround him. He wagged his tail before wiggling around and jumping, forcing Derek to catch him and swing him around absently. 

“I still get nightmares. I killed wolves, and I didn’t care at the time. I still don’t know how I’m supposed to care when they tried to hurt you.” Derek murmured into his stomach, and the sensation made him hold in a laugh. The lack of touching had made him sensitive so anything more than a hug. It was something that Derek was working on, holding his hand and rubbing at his neck and shoulders when he needed to calm down. His touch had become calming, one of a mate, though their parents made them promise nothing past kissing until they were both fully recovered. 

“I’m sorry that this has happened to us, but I don’t think I can regret meeting you.” Stiles petting Derek’s hair in attempt to calm him of any pain he was feeling from the fights. He didn’t think he was very good at it. His father was the only other person who could touch him without making him jump. Not even Scott could do it. 

“Do you want to go for a run?” Derek set him down and he found himself nodding. He wasn’t really sure if he was ready, but he knew his mate was itching to get out of the house. They had stayed inside for three days after the trip to the hospital. Melissa and Scott had meet him, hugging him tight before they realized his side had been wounded. His father had held him carefully, sobbing about never seeing him again. The Hales tried to take Derek home but one look told them he wasn’t leaving Stiles side anytime soon. 

“Do you think the other wolves will be out?” He looked out and saw the sun just setting. His father was still working through the files at the station, so he wouldn’t be home for a while. He bit at his lip at the look of unease Derek shot at him. “Dinner first?” He smiled and nodded outside. “Just until it’s a little darker.” 

“It’s the forest. I’m the scariest thing out there.” Derek winked, and he rolled his eyes.

“Fine, just because you’re so cute” He poked his nose and ran out the door, laughing due to the growl chasing him. He ran down the stairs and out the front door, throwing it shut. He escaped into the forest, shifting with ease. A second later he was certain that Derek wasn’t near him before the wolf was in front of him.

“How’d did you?” He swerved, his paws skidding on the leaves as he tried to turn but Derek lunged forward wrapping his paws around him and rolling, dragging him over until Stiles was on his back with his legs sticking up. 

“I went out the window.” Derek huffed in his head and he snorted, thinking how strange they looked at the moment. Derek was on his back with his paws holding him to his chest, his hind legs curled up to cover him since he was smaller, and his face pressed down over his shoulder. He wiggled around and nuzzled against his neck, enjoying the fluff that was still from youth as he relaxed. At times his fox still reared its head, telling him to flee the wolf but right now everything was settling in him.

“Holy…!” A voice sounded above them, and he was suddenly squished under Derek, his growl rumbling along his back. Stiles pressed against him and tried to stuck his head out to see what was happening, shoving Derek’s head up so he could see but was still under his wolf. He stiffened when he recognized who spoke.

“I didn’t expect that.” Jackson stood above them, his hands up as he eyed them. “I’d guess you’d ditch the little shrimp once you were done with him, or did he just not let you into his pants yet?” The wolf sneered above them and Derek snarled low but Stiles was faster. He shot out from under him and clawed his way up the wolf’s front, biting every bit of flesh that he could get under him. 

“Stiles!” Derek knocked Jacksons legs out from under him before he could get a grip on Stiles, his arms flailing around as he tried to throw him off. Stiles slashed his cheek with his claws before hopping off and letting the wolf scramble to his feet, racing away with the scent of fear following him. 

“Stay away from me you freaks!” Jackson yelled behind him and Stiles simply flicked his ears, sitting slowly. His entire body was trembling, and he swallowed thickly. 

“He was one of the wolves in the cage.” Derek cocked his head to the side as he settled over him, nuzzling against his head to help calm him. 

“I’ve known him for a while. He’s always hated me, but when we were in the Ring, he was the one I had to keep a close eye on.” Stiles shuttered one last time, thinking of all the close calls with the wolf before shaking it off. He could handle himself. Jackson was a coward, and he had Derek with him. 

“Alright.” Derek glared at the path Jackson took before ducking down and burying his face in Stiles fur. “Next time I see him, I’m gonna punch him in the face.”

“Don’t do that. He’s dating one of my friends, unfortunately. I don’t get what she see’s in him except that they have sex all the time. I can’t see what he’d bring to the table.” Stiles snorted and rolled over, letting his mate check him over. The wound on his side was merely a faint scar, but it didn’t stop him from giving it a subtle sniff. 

“I’m fine, Derek” Stiles finally shoved him off and rolled to his paws. He felt exhausted and a little woozy. The fight showed him how wild he allowed his fox side to become and it frightened him. He wanted nothing more than to look to the future they could have together, but part of him was skeptical of what they could make of themselves when there were people in the world that did what Kate Argent did. That he would forever have to hide what he was and what happened to him. He was angry at everything over it.

“How about we go inside and get some dinner, forget the walk.” Derek nudged him forward. Stiles flattened his ears but allowed himself to be steered toward his home, gathering up his clothes as he did only stopping when he saw the door was opened. 

“Who came in?” He grumbled, sniffing for a scent and relaxing only slightly when he smelled Scott. He had known Scott was a werewolf for a long while, he was the first to figure it out and explain what happened to him. It was Stiles that was still getting used to him again. The first time Scott scented him as a Fox, he got thrown across the room, but he got control of himself after that. 

“Sorry, but I wanted to check on you.” Scott was sitting at the table with a grin on his face. They didn’t talk about how wolves and foxes didn’t get along after the first incident, and everything was going smooth before he had been taken. Derek grumbled under his breath and totted off to his bed room to pout. Stiles rolled his eyes at his mate, feeling better now that he was somewhere safer and shifted. “Dude.” Scott shut his eyes and Stiles laughed as he got dressed. 

“Serves you right after all that time you shifted back in front of me.” He grinned at him as he threw a curled Cheeto at him from a bag on the table. 

“My mom said you can go back to eating stronger food now that you are working through the whole…” Scott cringed and waved his hand, a guilty look on his face. He didn’t like talking about how much pain Stiles had gone through because he was still too new at being a wolf to track the hunters successfully.

“Cool” Stiles popped the Cheeto into his mouth, choosing not to tell him that he was already eating like nothing had happened and groaning through the stomach pain, with Derek occasionally rubbing at it to make it feel better. Most of his self-control was going to the fox.

“Also, I want you to meet someone.” Scott beamed at him and he forced back a gag at the scent of sexual tension coming from his friend. “I got a girlfriend.” Stiles stared blankly for a heartbeat before he let out a laugh.

“Geez man. I had to get captured for you to get laid?” He wheezed out, wiping the tears from his eyes, only stopping when he saw the hurt look on his face. “Sorry, but I had to be captured to meet Derek, and he’s my mate.” 

“Dude…” Scott scrunched up his face before jumping to his feet and storming out of the room. Stiles stared after him, surprised that he would leave. He didn’t think it was that bad of a joke, and he did attempt to smooth it over. He mulled over Scott’s change in demeaner and scent. Maybe the girlfriend was his mate. Werewolves had it simple, and it might be harder for him to be separate from her like it was for him and Derek. Alpha said it would ease off once he was used to being safe again. 

“Scotty, what are you?” Stiles called, still hearing his friends heartbeat as he shuffled around in the other room. He swung to his feet to see him carrying a backpack in, tossing it on that table as he held up a notebook and paper. 

“I left my phone in my backpack” Scott glared at the ceiling in the direction of his room and Stiles felt his shoulders rise up in defense of his mate. Before he could say anything about it, Scott held up the notebook with a message written on it and he felt his eye twitch. 

“Dude.” He growled low, reading it anyway in the sake of their friendship. 

+Are you sure Derek isn’t using you? Stockholm and everything?+ 

“Dude.” Stiles repeated, all ready to start a fight but he saw the fear in his friends face and the words died on his tongue. He took the notepad and started writing. 

+I know he isn’t using me for anything. I like him, a lot, and after spending time in the Ring together, I know for certain that he will always have my back+ Stiles scribbled a little too roughly but shoved it back in his hands, crossing his arms and giving Scott a challenging look when he finished reading it.

“I’m not ready to say I’m ok with this… But I won’t shoot it down.” Scott sighed, shoving everything into his backpack. “I still want you to meet her.” He shot a shy look at him and Stiles found himself groaning. 

“Let me guess. She’s coming over?” He raised his eyebrows and a second later there was a knock on the door. He stiffened at a scent that was vaguely similar but not quiet right. He felt his stomach roll as he walked to the door, his skin tightening as he fought to remain in his human form. He slowly swung the door open to see a young woman with dark hair that fell across her shoulders and a nervous look on her face. 

“Hello, I’m Allison.” She started but the low growl from his bed room made her take a step back. 

“Argent” Stiles supplied, his voice deep with fury before he spun on Scott. “What the HELL were you thinking bring a hunter here? It was Kate Argent that took me! How could you bring one here?” He shoved past his friend, not giving him a chance to answer as he fled up to his mate. Derek met him at his door and slammed it closed behind him, locking it before doing the same to the window. Stiles gasped for breath, his form shifting against his will as he hid under the covers. He didn’t expect his best friend to do that to him, not so soon after everything. 

“Stiles?” His wolf pressed close to him and he sobbed, turning his head and resting it on his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I recognized her as she walked up but I… My family knew the Argents.”

“What?” Stiles pulled back, the shock stilling the pain in his heart. Derek licked his cheek before he curled tighter around him. 

“They just recently moved here. They are hunters and my mother spoke to them, assuring them that we weren’t hurting anyone by living here and explained how we protect the town from more dangerous creatures. She also told then that if they choose to start a war, both families would be wiped out, so we all created a truce.”

“Why didn’t you just kill them all, I mean, if they were all as crazy as Kate?” Stiles scoffed, shaking his head and Derek glared at him. 

“Because then hunters would descend on the town, maybe killing everyone. Not all hunters are like Kate, but one can never really tell which ones are and which ones won’t kill innocents.” He explained dully, dropping his head onto his paws. “Like I’m one to speak, but we created a truce. As such, we had a dinner to get to know everyone and assets how we were all going to get along.”

“What did you think?” Stiles felt himself calming down as the information flowed in and he mentally started to plan something special for Derek. He needed a day to make him feel better. 

“I don’t remember it all that well.” Derek suddenly hummed in delight and pressed his face against Stiles chest. “That was the day I walked by your house, though I didn’t know it then and caught your scent. It was after she had taken you so it was faint and it just stuck with me, in my head all day.”

“You’re a sap” Stiles snorted, believing him after hearing his steady heartbeat. 

“I do remember meeting Kate.” Derek shuttered and pressed closer to him, causing Stiles to roll to his feet so he could clamber over the top of him and sit across his shoulders. “She looked at me like I was a piece of meat. I’m sure she would’ve taken me right there if Alpha wasn’t there. I was caught when I was in my wolf form, so she never even knew she had captured me. I highly doubt my family would have told the Argents that I was missing.”

“Everyone knew I was missing, but not the fox thing” Stiles started to make a strange trilling purr to calm his mate and deepened it until his entire body was vibrating, causing his mate to sigh as his muscles unwound. 

“The Sheriff would shoot anything that tried to hurt you.” Derek sounded like he was nearly asleep, the wave of emotions that came with an Argent at the door tiring them both out and a second later he was out. 

“Heh, they would have to go through you first too.” He laughed, easing up on his purr as he started to doze.   
=============================================================  
After several days there was still nothing on the Scott front except a text asking if he was alright. Stiles couldn’t find it in him to answer just yet, still hearing Kates voice announcing his price to stands while he crouched there in chains. He hated her. He was glad she was dead. He didn’t even know if he could look that teenager in the eye and tell her that he would’ve killed her Aunt with his own hands if he had the chance, that he still kind of wanted to dance on her scattered grave. 

Instead he focused on assuring his father that he was recovering. He was working through the remaining fear he felt and gaining control of his inner fox. He also felt the need to ease his father into the supernatural. It was something he jumped head first into, but he knew his father still had questions. He had talked to Alpha and she readily agreed to have a dinner with him and his father to answer questions. 

He may have helped it along by saying it would be good for Derek to be with his pack again and they could get used to being together as a family. She said they could celebrate finding their mates. They tried to keep it a surprise from his mate, but Cora had dropped by that morning to deliver three homemade pies and a truly massive tub of ice-cream, which gave everything away. 

“Mom made pie!” She shouted. Derek had thundered down the stairs, ricocheting off the walls before skidding into the kitchen. He had a grin on his face before he frowned, eyeing the pies. 

“Mom made three pies.” His gaze flickered between the both of them, Cora laughing softly and Stiles shaking his head at the two wolves. 

“It was supposed to be a surprise, but our families are getting together to… basically since were mates, that’s like married, so we thought we should hang out a little. Well, I thought it would be nice to get to know everyone, and I knew you missed them.” Stiles found himself stuttering at the look of utter adoration on his mate’s face as he spoke, the scent of glee nearly knocking him off his feet. Derek crossed the kitchen and planted a kiss on his lips before edging closer to the pies. 

“These are for tonight or I will tell Stiles every embarrassing story I can think of” Cora threatened as she danced out of reach and quickly put the everything away. 

“Like you weren’t going to do that anyway” Derek gave up, his voice still filled with happiness as watched his sister. 

“True” She called as she bounced away, her hair swinging behind her. “I gotta go get ready.”

“But it’s not until after three.” Stiles turned and looked at the clock. It wasn’t even nine in the morning. 

“Don’t even bother” Derek snorted. The rest of the day passed in a sort of happy daze, they both did very little to get ready until they started cooking. The made a truly massive amount of food together and Stiles topped it off with a batch of cookies. Even with werewolf stomachs, they would still have left overs. 

“Ooo, this looks wonderful” Laura greeted him with a smile before flashing a wink. “At least this time you’re dressed.”

“Oh God” Stiles fought against a blush as she snickered. The rest of the family trickled in and his father took over greeting everyone for him. Everything was a little rough, the wolves all inspecting him and his father asking question after question. He was sure some of them could wait several years, such as if Derek had a knot and if Stiles could be hurt when they eventually did it. That was a conversation he could go without. 

Afterward, when it was dark, they went to the backyard and shifted. Derek’s parents and Uncle, who Stiles was still trying to get a read on, stayed with his father to talk while everyone else ran off some energy. He started by sticking off to the side while the wolves wrestled off a burst of energy. 

It was Laura that made him budge, trotting over and pawing at him until he was rolling around with the rest of them. They were all careful, making sure not the crush him when they threw another wolf, batting at him like he was a playmate but not really having any heft to it. Even though there was the heavy scent of excited wolves, his fox was singing in delight, making him dash around them, daring them to catch him. Soon he was cornered, and Derek was the one to pin him to the ground, snuffling his stomach and neck in a successful attempt to make him laugh. 

It was nearly midnight before Alpha called them back into the house. She served them up the pie and ice-cream with a kind smile. It was almost as good as he remembered his mother’s pie being. He could see the memory on his fathers face and they relaxed into the feeling. The pack left shortly after. To his pleasant surprise, Derek had decided to go with them, promising that he would return in the morning. He was feeling a little squished with him around all the time but he could never say it out loud. 

“Son?” his father walked into the living room where Stiles had slumped in his exhaustion, to beat from all the company to climb the stairs. 

“Ye?” He grunted, shifted his head around to face him and fought back a yawn. 

“A call came in. It can’t be avoided. I’m sorry, but I’ll be back in a few hours.” His dad was fighting his own yawn as he fumbled his belt back on. He had taken it off after his second piece of pie, which Stiles pretended not to see. 

“It fine. Do you want me to come with you?” He swung to a sitting position with a groan, feeling his back crack. It would be the first time he would be alone in his home after everything. 

“No, you get some rest. If something comes up, I’ll call.” His father gave up on his belt and wondered over, wrapping him in his arms. “Goodbye, kid.” Stiles felt a kiss on his head as he clung to his father. 

“Bye” He didn’t care that his voice sounded small, fearful. He stretched back out on the couch, but he was no longer sleepy. Instead his mind was spinning with random emotions. He had a wonder-filled day, full of laughs and his mate. Now he was alone, and that was fine with him. He just had to work through how fine he was with it, so he started to clean up the kitchen. His father was going to have a long night. Coming home to a clean kitchen could brighten what ever mood he would be in. 

“And if there’s one less piece of pie, who am I to know?” Stiles laughed to himself as he started some dish water. He grabbed his phone to see a text from his father telling him he told the Hales he had a call. Rolling his eyes, he started scrubbing when a sound from up stairs made him pause. Wolves were in the house. 

“Come on Derek, you know how to use a door. I asked your mom!” He called up, laughing at his own joke. He hoped that who ever was with him would laugh to. He paused when he heard them making their way down stairs. The scent of food and Hales were coving everything but something wasn’t right. He turned and dropped his sponge, wiping his hands off and suddenly decided he needed to leave. The Hales smelled like family, like his pack. These smelled like blood and death. 

The back door was right in front of him and he ran. The wolves that were defiantly not Hales slammed into the kitchen and one jumped on his back, dragging him to the floor. He screamed in agony as it wrapped its jaws around his shoulder and started shaking its head from side to side. He vaguely recalled the scent as one of the wolves from the ring. The other was already shifted back to human to reveal Jackson.

“That’s right. Foxes and wolves don’t mix.” Jackson snarled at him, his face not entirely human. Stiles gasped at him, before a chill spread throughout his body. All the survival instincts he learned while in the ring rushed back to him as his emotions shut down. Fear was the enemy, he needed focus. For one, he needed not to be a fox, which was something his body was trying to force. The wolf growled as it dragged him screaming away from the door and shook him again. 

“He should be turning to a fox and then we can rip him to pieces!” Jackson prowled closer and Stiles stilled his body. After a few seconds of agony, they became aware that he wasn’t going to turn back. He felt the teeth pull back, the blood loss and the pain already draining Stiles, but he let his claws slip out, emotionlessly slashing at the wolf. He didn’t expect his claws to bury themselves deep into his neck, sticking his fingers in past the second knuckle. He also didn’t expect the wolf to turn more human, his fur falling away just in time to give not assistance. 

“Back off.” Stiles ripped his hand away and the wolf didn’t scream. It couldn’t. It fell to the ground and started to wither in agony, but Stiles couldn’t find it in him to care. He stood slowly, pulling his wounded body under him and glared at the frozen Jackson. 

“You little…” the wolf started, and Stiles took a small step forward, bringing up his bloody hand. 

“You listen to me, Jackson.” He started, letting his fox show in every little move he made. “You saw me in the ring for two weeks. Derek for one. But I survived in there for three months! I survived being thrown into a pack of wolves almost every night for three months.” He took another step forward, knowing his face was blank of emotion. “If you think I ever hesitated to kill those who ripped at me, if you ever think I didn’t do everything to survive, to not be sold! If you think what little time you spent as a wolf in the ring could even compare to what I’ve been through, what I can do. I will kill you Jackson, if you ever break into my house again. If you try to threaten Derek or any Hale, I WILL KILL YOU.” He took another step forward. 

“But you’re just a…”Jackson backed away, his eyes flickering to his packmate still on the floor, his twitching becoming weaker.

“A fox?” Stiles giggled. “A little weak fox that has nothing against a wolf’s strength? Well, hate to burst you’re bubble, buddy, but wolves can’t heal instantly from a wound caused by a fox. I am faster than you, smarter than you and as you just saw, willing to kill if it means I protect what’s mine. You came into my house! And I’ll tell you what. I’ll forgive you.” He waited, watching as it sunk in. “I love Lydia as a sister, so if she say’s you stay. I will act like nothing has happened, but I can’t say the same for my mate. And, just as a friend of your girl, you should run before he gets home.” Stiles grinned as he cocked his head to the side in a comical manner. “Oops, too late.” He purred out, letting his limbs relax as a fearsome howl went up. The entire Hale pack was in the backyard. 

In a flash, Jackson was out the front door and the wolves chased after them. Derek ran to his side and he waved him on, only waiting until he couldn’t hear them anymore to fall against the wall, sliding down as his legs gave out. It was true that foxes could wound wolves so they don’t heal, just as much as it’s true that foxes can’t immediately heal wounds caused by wolves. He clutched at his shoulder as more blood dripped out and closed his eyes.

“STILES? We heard the wolves!” Scott screamed, running to his side. Stiles struggled to lift his head as he was pulled forward, a hand pressing a small towel against his shoulder.

“Around the back.” He begged, his eyes fighting to focus on the face in front of him. He blinked in shock when he scented two people. Allison leaned him forward, wrapping the towel tight over where his shoulder was bleeding on his back before propping him back up. 

“There you go. Don’t stress.” She murmured in a soft voice, though when he looked closer, she was green in the face and her lip was trembling slightly. “Should he be bleeding this much?”

“It’s not all his.” Scott shot a glance at the still form on the ground and Stiles cringed. He didn’t notice when the wolf stopped breathing. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kill him. I just wanted him off me. If he was still a wolf, it wouldn’t’ve been that bad.” He slurred out, shifting around as he gazed between the two of them, “He and Jackson, they attacked me. I just wanted them to leave.”

“Jackson, as in Lydia’s Jackson.” Allison pulled away from him in shock and he only managed to nod his head. She pulled out her phone and started typing. 

“What are you doing?” Scott wheezed at her and she waved him off, shoving her phone back into her pocket. 

“I’ve texted Lydia” She explained like it was the simplest thing, rolling her eyes as they both stares blankly at her. “I think she should know that her boyfriend just tried to murder someone and is, as we speak, being hunted down by a rightfully angry pack of wolves.”

“Kudos to you if she believes it” Stiles snorted and let his head roll back. “I’m sorry I yelled at you for being an Argent. I know now you’re not like your Aunt. I’m sorry Scott, that I acted they way I did.” Stiles whimpered as his friend stared at him.

“No, I should’ve explained myself better. I should’ve known you would be against an Argent being in your house. Alpha explained, she said this is your nest, and that only people you absolutely trust are allowed in it. Foxes and wolves are different, and I sometimes forget that.” Scott waved his hand at Allison and she placed a phone in his hand. “I’m going to call your dad.”

“Yes please.” Stiles nodded, knowing his father should be told. He could explain that he would be fine, that there was a dead wolf in their house and maybe another somewhere in town or on the preserve. He probably won’t say that last part, the pack might be blamed for murder when really, it would be defense against any other attacks on his part. 

“Hey, Sheriff. I’m at you house with Stiles. Some wolves tried to break in and… What do you mean the call out was a fake?” Scott bared his teeth for a moment and Stiles snatched the phone from his hands. 

“It was a prank call, everyone is out on the other side of the town. I think they were just trying to get Stiles alone. If I get my hands on whoever did this…” His father trialed off and Stiles felt his control completely shatter. 

“Dad?” He barely got it out before he was sobbing. He didn’t bother to try and hold them back. With his father begging him, asking him if he was hurt and all he could do was ask him to come home. Allison finally pried the phone from his hand and started talking. 

“Sheriff? It’s Allison, Scott’s girlfriend. Stiles was attacked by Jackson and an unknown werewolf. Jackson got chased off by the Hales, but the other is dead. Stiles shoulder is hurt but I think we managed to stop the bleeding.” She spoke calmly, her hand still pressed against his shoulder and he cocked his head to the side, wondering how two people could be so different. She was nothing like Kate. 

“Thank you.” He whispered, feeling some of the anger and pain in his chest that grew while he was in the ring slowly dissolve into affection. His family was taking care of him. True, Allison wasn’t really anything to him yet, accept maybe the vice of reason in a panic, but Scott was there, his father was on his way and his mate was dealing with the threat. He closed his eyes, clutching Scott’s hand in his to keep him grounded as they waited. 

“Stiles, there’s something I have to say.” Allison started, and he rolled his head around so he could look at her. 

“NO, it can wait until this is settled.” Scott voice was stern, and Stiles snickered at the faintly surprised look on the girls face as she stared at him. Scott wasn’t one to be firm often, more puppy-love goof ball.

“Fine, but Stiles.” This time she had to move his head herself, “I will never hurt you like my Aunt did. I promise I will only go as far as a proper, sister in law, pranks.”

“You two are mates?” Stiles slurred and grinned at them, delighted that they share in the connection he felt with Derek. “I knew my mates name before we even talked about it.” He bragged, and Allison placed a kiss on his forehead. 

“Why don’t you just rest, lover-boy. I’m sure Derek will be back soon, with your dad.” The last thing he saw was there soft faces as he finally let his eyes close. He didn’t stress about when he would eat next or if the wolves will get him. He was home.  
=======================================================  
When Stiles woke, he was wrapped in Derek’s arms. His limp arms with his morning breath puffing against his face. He leaned back with a snort, trying to get the raw stench from his delicate nose and almost fell off the couch. His father was sitting in an armchair while Scott and Allison were stretched out on the floor. He could hear the entire Hale pack was tucked around on the floor in their wolf forms. To his surprise, Lydia was curled in the second armchair. Stiles let out another snort as Derek pulled him closer, slowly waking up and he grabbed a pencil with his good shoulder, throwing it at his father. 

“What time is it?” He asked, yawning as his father jolted to his feet with a shout. All the wolves scrambled to their feet, Scott included and surrounded him, sniffing close to his wounded shoulder and pressing against him with happy rumbles. Allison sat up with a ruffled look but smiled bright when he waved at her past Cora’s massive ears she had yet to grow into. Lydia was busy giving everyone death glares. 

“Son how are you feeling?” His father moved through the pack with ease he never thought he would see and placed a hand on his good shoulder. 

“Better, like I’m finally safe.” He tried to explain his feeling and Derek let out a snort. 

“You weren’t safe. You’re hurt.” He scolded into his back and he twisted around to look at him. 

“I don’t have to face it alone like before. You’ll come for me. All of you.” Stiles thought he explained it better as everyone fell silent, though there was a tenseness to it. He sniffed and felt the air crackly with fury. “What happened?” 

“Um, I did.” Allison raised a hand and cringed when everyone spun to look at her. Lydia quickly crouched next to her and took one of her hands “After my Aunt died, we got a lot of her stuff. I needed to know why you acted like you did. I never seen such…. Fear in my life.” She bowed her head before nodding to a laptop on the coffee table. “I stole her laptop, had Danny break into it for me but I didn’t let him see any thing afterward. I just told him it was hers and I wanted to use it for school.” She stopped, looking like she was going to be sick. “She had a website, black-market stuff, I’m guessing. She took and sold videos of the fights.” She rubbed her face before reaching for the devices, fiddling with it for a minute before turning it back. 

First was a video of a regular fight, the wolves ripping at each other. The room filled with the scents of fear and fury as it continued, the cheers of the audience almost drowned out by the fight. Both Derek and Stiles stared, they had seen it before. 

The second video made Stiles flinch. He remembered it vaguely. Shortly before Derek got there. He wasn’t as quick in the fights, no longer able to wound the wolves from the stain. The lack of food slowing his mind and paws. His little fox body appeared in the spot light, his collar loosening as the chain held him still. An electric prod came into view and slammed into him, causing him to shift to his Beta form. He was nude, but he couched in a tight, his tail tucked between his legs in a dazed fear. People started talking in a low murmur, that quickly turned to a roar as they shouted out prices, trying to buy him. 

He fought back a whine, pressing closer as the lights spread out across the ring and the wolves were let out. His fox form returned as he ran for his life. It was the fight where the Alpha almost killed him. It had caught him because he had dodged around a dying wolf, trying to avoid her jaws that were still snapping at him. Derek held him tighter as he heard the hit, his foxy scream of agony scratching through the speakers and then shouts of the hunters as they broke up the fight. There was a loud crash and he turned to see it was Lydia who had slammed the laptop closed. 

“I can’t believe Jackson tried to kill you after all of that.” She growled and all the wolves except Scott leaned back to give her some room. 

“It’s Jackson.” Stiles felt himself relax again, sinking into his mates embrace as he breathed in his scent. Seeing the video did bring back the horror, but last night made him utterly sure that they had his back. It didn’t matter anymore. He shook his head, certain he wouldn’t be fully free for a while, but he had them. 

“How are you so…. Calm about this? Do you know what could’ve happened?” Lydia scolded him, and he blinked at her. It was the first time he saw her since he got back. She was spending much of her time helping Jackson through his issues from the event. 

“Of course I know what could’ve happened. I was there for several day’s after this.” He nodded to the laptop to indicate the video. “I ran through even scenario through my head, but I never thought I would find my mate and we would escape.” He turned and pressed and kiss against his wolf’s neck, the only thing he could really reach. “Jackson, now that wasn’t a surprise.”

“He’s just lucky he’s alive.” Derek grumbled and Stiles decided he didn’t want to know what went down. Lydia was shaking her head. 

“He’ll be hoping he was dead when I get my hands on him.” She growled out. No one doubted her.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment.


End file.
